Lars von Trier feeling 'relaxed' after his film prompts mass walkouts at Cannes

Director Lars von Trier has responded to the controversy around his film "The House That Jack Built", which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

During its screening at the festival, several audience members exited after it showed a serial killer, played by Matt Dilllon, murdering women and children.

In an interview with Cineuropa, the Danish director said he was pleased by the reaction and he felt "very relaxed".

"It's quite important not to be loved by everybody, because then you've failed. I'm not sure if they hated it enough, though. If it gets too popular, I'll have a problem. But the reception seemed just about right, I think," Trier said.

The director said he read a lot of Patricia Highsmith while penning the script of the film.

"I don't know too much about serial killers, but I do know a bit about psychopaths. And I've never killed anyone myself If I do, it will probably be a journalist," Trier added.

This was Trier's first trip back to Cannes since he debuted "Melancholia" in 2011. The director was banned in the following years after joking about "sympathising with Hitler"